Kodi slams TVAddons on Twitter saying should be shut down

Kodi has called for TVAddons to be ‘shut down because it brings misery to everyone’ on Twitter.

TVAddons is one of the most popular libraries for add-ons on Kodi, and was suddenly shut down in June during a legal battle with Canadian TV networks.

But the developers were recently cleared in court in Canada, and the library – which can be used to stream both legal and illegal content on Kodi boxes – put back online.

Kodi’s initial comment was made in response to an article tweeted by Torrent Freak speaking out against such lawsuits.

Kodi called for TVAddons to be ‘shut down because it brings misery to everyone’ on Twitter. It is one of the most popular libraries for add-ons on Kodi 

WHAT IS KODI TV?

Kodi is software that enables you to streams apps and on-demand services onto your TV. 

The software, which is legal, can even be downloaded onto an Amazon Fire stick.

Blank boxes can be bought from most major retailers for as little as £20 ($24), with the software uploaded afterwards.

Users can play BBC iPlayer, Youtube, Soundcloud and other free catch-up apps on the device.  

But many of the plug-ins the box offers are illegal.

Be wary if the box is pre-loaded to include subscription sport, TV and movies for free.

Commonly the ‘fully loaded’ boxes let users watch Premier League games or Sky Movies without paying a subscription fee.  

‘Let’s hope tvaddons gets shut down regardless cause they bring nothing but misery to everyone,’ Kodi TV tweeted.

TVAddons was quick to respond, Tweeting that whoever runs Kodi’s social accounts ‘is definitely not in touch with your userbase’.

After TVAddons accused Kodi of not being in touch with its users, the firm tweeted again: ‘At least the entire team shares this same opinion’.

TVAddons then tweeted: ‘Definitely don’t believe that one!’ 

TVAddons provided a library of more than 1,500 add-ons, which supplied both legal and illegal content.

The library was involved in a legal battle with broadcast providers, with threats of fines of up to £116,000 ($150,000).

In July it was warned that defunct Kodi add-ons – such as the then-blocked TVAddons – could turn into spy devices, according to Kodi.

An expert warned that whoever took control of banned Kodi websites could ‘do whatever they wanted’ to people using them.

This comes after three domains previously operated by TVAddons were handed over to a Canadian law firm.

It sparked fears the firm could be collecting information about users watching illegal content and could send it back to anti-piracy groups.

‘The person [in control of] the repo could do whatever they wanted,’ Kodi Project Manager Nathan Betzen told TorrentFreak.

TVAddons was quick to respond, claiming that whoever was running Kodi's social media profile was 'definitely not in touch' with its user base

TVAddons was quick to respond, claiming that whoever was running Kodi’s social media profile was ‘definitely not in touch’ with its user base

After TVAddons accused Kodi of not being in touch with its users the firm tweeted again 'At least the entire team shares this same opinion'. TVAddons then tweeted: 'Definitely don't believe that one!'

After TVAddons accused Kodi of not being in touch with its users the firm tweeted again ‘At least the entire team shares this same opinion’. TVAddons then tweeted: ‘Definitely don’t believe that one!’

‘If some malware author wanted, he could easily install a watcher that reports back the user’s IP address and everything they were doing in Kodi,’ he said.

It is probably more likely the law firm is an anti-piracy group that is putting the domains out of action, although the law firm is yet to reveal their plans.

The issue demonstrates the dangers of not knowing where software updates are coming from.

Kodi is software that enables users to streams apps and on-demand services onto their TV.

The comment was first made in response to an article tweeted by Torrent Freak about the speaking out against abusive lawsuits

The comment was first made in response to an article tweeted by Torrent Freak about the speaking out against abusive lawsuits

TVAddons provided a library of more than 1,500 add-ons, which supplied both legal and illegal content. The library was involved in a legal battle with a US broadcast provider, with threats of fines of up to £116,000 ($150,000)

TVAddons provided a library of more than 1,500 add-ons, which supplied both legal and illegal content. The library was involved in a legal battle with a US broadcast provider, with threats of fines of up to £116,000 ($150,000)

Although the software itself is legal, it has become associated with internet piracy due to add-ons, like Navi-X, that can provide illegal content.

Under new rules, people in the UK will now face up to 10 years in prison if caught streaming illegal content.

Earlier this month it was announced Premier League bosses were debating whether to livestream games directly in a bid to end illegal streams.  

TVAddons, one of the most popular libraries for add-ons on Kodi (pictured) mysteriously shut down in June without warning 

TVAddons, one of the most popular libraries for add-ons on Kodi (pictured) mysteriously shut down in June without warning 

WHO IS USING KODI BOXES? 

Over 55s are six times more likely to watch pirated video using Kodi boxes than young adults, a recent survey found.

More than 25,000 adults in 30 countries were surveyed by digital security firm Irdeto.

The highest percentage of Kodi users in the UK were in the 35-44 and 55+ age groups, at 18 per cent each.

This is in stark contrast to the 3 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds using a Kodi box to stream pirated content.

18-24 year olds are more likely to use smartphones, tablets or laptops to access illegal content. 

Earlier in June the Digital Economy Bill warned that people making and streaming films using torrents online would be committing a criminal offence.

The ruling affects users in Europe, who will now face up to 10 years in prison if caught streaming illegal content.

In a letter to the Open Rights Group, the Intellectual Property Office said: ‘It is important to note that the criminal offences apply to making material available to others, not to those just downloading material to their computers.

‘Anyone seeking to enforce their rights for the downloading of material would be unlikely to refer to this legislation.

‘Ten year sentences would only be applied in the most serious of criminal circumstances.’

Temporary files, like those created when media content is streamed, are technically exempt under copyright law. 

Earlier in June the Digital Economy Bill warned that people making and streaming films using torrents online would be committing a criminal offence

Earlier in June the Digital Economy Bill warned that people making and streaming films using torrents online would be committing a criminal offence

People selling ‘fully loaded’ Kodi boxes exploited this legal loophole to provide illegal content.

And although the court recognised the equipment itself was not illegal, the way they are customised was and was likely to be used to access copyrighted material.

Amazon previously banned ‘fully-loaded’ Kodi TV boxes and other pirate devices from its global online store earlier this month. 

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